Topic: European and World Champion and all round Big Man Joseph Dave Gomez

[keano7]

Haven't seen the Lovren special in a while, did not miss it.

It’s the Lovren / Keita special. He had the effort 2 mins earlier which was alright but worth a go, no excuses for that 30 yards out with 7/8 players in and around the box.

He has been superb at LB at times this season but Bradley should have started tonight.

[amir87]

The irony of me wanting to shoot him when he did that.

[rawcusk8]

He’s been brilliant all season, bit off it last game or two but if there is anyone (like Kelleher) that deserves a pass for a below par performance or two it’s Joey.

[Enders]

The irony of me wanting to shoot him when he did that.

[Haggis36]

I feel sorry for the lad because that was one of the worst individual performances I have seen in a long time, and he knew it as well

Had 3 or 4 of those performances last season, if we're honest.

That said, he's been immense nearly all season up until probably the past month where I think tiredness has started to catch up to him, but if I have to watch him invert into midfield one more time I'm going to scratch my eyes out. It's squarely on the coaching team rather than Joe himself, but he's absolutely useless in that role - does not have a single attribute for it, and hasn't looked effective playing it at any point this season. It's the most bizarrely obstinate thing we've tried this season.

[jepovic]

Inverting Joe Gomez is probably Klopp's weirdest tactical idea, of the ones he has stuck with for a bit

[spider-neil]

It’s the Lovren / Keita special. He had the effort 2 mins earlier which was alright but worth a go, no excuses for that 30 yards out with 7/8 players in and around the box.

He has been superb at LB at times this season but Bradley should have started tonight.

Bradley is young and has to be managed. We broke Baj by over playing him.

[Nick110581]

Investing a player ego can’t do it is weird.

We played better when that stopped.

[Dree]

He’s probably knackered but he’s a perfectly adequate defensive full back who has the pace to provide real width and stretch teams in a low block - he doesn’t have to be great at it, and his crossing is decent. But as others have said we are just not using that.

Inverting him from the left fair enough, it opens up his body onto his right foot. From the right it just doesn’t work.

[seandundee16]

He's just not good enough on the ball and Atalanta exposed this last night by pressing him hard. It's a bit unfair on Gomez since he's not really a natural full back and he's probably not enough of an aerial presence to play centre back. Good squad player to provide cover though, never complains and to be fair he has exceeded my expectations of him this season by filling in competently at full back.

I really hope he stops this urge to try shooting from 35 yards though. 

[Dazzer23]

I love him, he's the perfect 5th choice/utilty defender to bring in whenever one of the first choice back 4 isn't there.

But he is a defender, he can't do the inverted role against quality opposition.

[kaesarsosei]

I love him, he's the perfect 5th choice/utilty defender to bring in whenever one of the first choice back 4 isn't there.

But he is a defender, he can't do the inverted role against quality opposition.

Exactly, he has been in our top 5 most consistent players this season out of necessity/injury and last night just showed that ultimately he is a CB who has had to fill in at fullback and did his best.

With all of our FBs now back, I hope to never see Gomez at FB again both this season and going forward.

Btw if Amorim comes in and plays a back 3, I think Gomez's stock will rise.

[RainbowFlick]

it's very understandable that he might be a bit knackered at this stage

people can point to that wild shot, but it's not like we were creating loads against a 10-man defensive block.

[JackWard33]

Neil Atkinson's shouts to put him at 6 really does show how badly that man needs someone to argue against him and correct him on podcasts

He's been a warrior this season and really saved our campaign by being a competent left back which is pretty amazing as a right footed centre back - but obviously we don't want to be building play through him as an inverted fullback

[killer-heels]

Neil Atkinson's shouts to put him at 6 really does show how badly that man needs someone to argue against him and correct him on podcasts

He's been a warrior this season and really saved our campaign by being a competent left back which is pretty amazing as a right footed centre back - but obviously we don't want to be building play through him as an inverted fullback

Well that is a mad shout.

[AndyMuller]

Play him as a 6.

[Paul JH]

He's ironically shite at right back. Being right footed. Baffled as to why he left two right backs on the bench, played Gomez on the right (when he's been far better on the left) and plays Kostas who was shite.

[stockdam]

I don't like being negative but last night was one of Joe's worst. Overall he has been marvellous this season and has played well no matter what position he has been asked to do.

I thought he was fast asleep for the 2nd goal. He could see the Atalanta player but did nothing to close him down. He also didn't take his "line" from the far full back and so was a yard or two too far forward.

Almost everyone had an off night last night and they will all play much better.

[Egyptian36]

He is the one who suffered the most from our injuries having to cover different positions. We simply overplayed him.

[jillcwhomever]

He is the one who suffered the most from our injuries having to cover different positions. We simply overplayed him.

I agree with this. It wasn't so long ago we weren't even sure whether he could play two/three games running. But because he's been able to, he has been used a lot to cover a number of different positions in the defense. It's not a surprise he's on a bit of a downer now, hopefully he'll get a rest and then we use him at the end.

[Coolie High]

I feel a bit sorry for him because after his performance against Villa you would think he would have got more games at CB, think we kept a clean sheet that game also, which is rare nowadays.

[Sammy5IsAlive]

I'd be very, very surprised if this lad doesn't break Rush's scoring record.

Went back to the beginning of the thread as I was thinking along the lines of how we've always been playing with 'house money' as far as Gomez has been concerned and this post on the first page made me laugh  . I imagine the poster wasn't being serious, maybe he missed a sitter in the friendly they were talking about?!?

He was wretched last night, and it's probably an example of why he probably won't ever be first choice for us - his game is just too fragile when things are not going well. I did feel for him though as it wasn't through a lack of application, he is just short of that highest level that you need in those kinds of situations.

If he is happy to stay as a back up I think he definitely is good enough to play that role, especially given he can play across the back four. Although I do worry that he's always needed lots of minutes to keep his fitness and form up so maybe it would be best for him to move on and be a definite first choice slightly lower down the league.

[RyanBabel19]

Went back to the beginning of the thread as I was thinking along the lines of how we've always been playing with 'house money' as far as Gomez has been concerned and this post on the first page made me laugh  . I imagine the poster wasn't being serious, maybe he missed a sitter in the friendly they were talking about?!?

He was wretched last night, and it's probably an example of why he probably won't ever be first choice for us - his game is just too fragile when things are not going well. I did feel for him though as it wasn't through a lack of application, he is just short of that highest level that you need in those kinds of situations.

If he is happy to stay as a back up I think he definitely is good enough to play that role, especially given he can play across the back four. Although I do worry that he's always needed lots of minutes to keep his fitness and form up so maybe it would be best for him to move on and be a definite first choice slightly lower down the league.

Bit unfair on him given this season

Plenty of games we’ve gone behind or struggled and he’s been far from fragile, in fact he’s been one of our most reliable

[Sammy5IsAlive]

Bit unfair on him given this season

Plenty of games we’ve gone behind or struggled and he’s been far from fragile, in fact he’s been one of our most reliable

Maybe fragile is the wrong word - like I said I've got no problem really with his effort or mentality. I guess what I was trying to say is that when we're up against a top team and playing badly he doesn't quite have the technique or the defensive instincts to hang in there and maintain his performance level.

Accept your point about this season - for me there have been plenty of games where we have not been playing well or have given up silly goals and like you say he has helped us get through them. But I feel like in all of those games even when things have not been going well we've still been in control of the general flow of the game. Last night we never had that control and he really suffered for it.

[G Richards]

Joe Gomez has had a very good season. He has been a key player in getting us to where we are now. While we have had lots of injury problems, Gomez has come in and done well for us, in multiple positions. He is a versatile and valuable member of the squad.

Yes, he had a poor game last night against Atalanta, along with most of the others.

[Bread]

With Konate not quite being at the races, Quansah still being very young and inexperienced and Trent, Robbo and Tsimikas all being injury free, I do wonder if we should perhaps consider giving Gomez (who has been one of our players of the season) another run in the team at CB. Don't think it can hurt.